How would you classify your style of photography?
There are so many different genres of photography, it’s hard to count these days. I can’t even say that I fall squarely within one genre or another. As an almost newly-wed (4 years in November!) I photograph each of my client’s weddings as if it were my own wedding. I put myself in your shoes, and photographic the wedding through your eyes. If you put a ton of work into the details and center pieces, I will document those. Your veil is a unique heirloom? We’ll get plenty of images of your mother and you getting ready with the veil. For ceremonies, my goal is to be as non-intrusive as possible. Whether it’s a religious ceremony or not, it is a ceremony, which means it should be photographed with the respect and honor it deserves. You will have timeless, classic images from your ceremony, where I photograph from the back of the venue (and sometimes down the center aisle a bit.) For your formals, I’ll be fast and organized. We plan together how to get everyone together for the formals, and make it easy on the grandparents by photographing them first. By the end of formals, we’ve got just enough time to photograph you and your beloved. I firmly believe that you should have a love picture to put on your fireplace mantle from your wedding day. Something beautifully crafted, artistic, creative, and romantic- so we’ll spend a little time, just the three of us, letting the excitement wash over for a mini-portrait session before we head into the reception to party! Your reception will be shot with candor and fun. I love to dance, and you’ll find me photographing your friends and family as they do the Electric Slide, and I might just get out there and do the cha-cha slide with them!
How far in advance do we need to book you?
For the most part, 6 months in advance is more than enough time to book me as your photographer. If your wedding is in May or June, or over a holiday weekend, I suggest you get in touch with me for a consult as soon as your date is solidified. I cannot hold dates without a signed contract and retainer, or before your venue is booked. :)
What areas do you service?
Most of my weddings take place in North Carolina, in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area, or on the coast in Greenville, Havelock, or Morehead City. I love beach weddings, and love the opportunity to photograph on the coast. If you’re interested in hiring me for weddings in the South Eastern United States, please contact the studio for rates and availability.
Do we need to feed you at the wedding?
Yes, please. We work very hard, run around quite a bit, and carry heavy gear for hours on end, and appreciate it very much when you make arrangements to care for our basic food needs. We eat pretty much anything you’re providing, and the best time for us to eat, is when you and your guests sit down for their meal. We do no photograph while you or your guests are eating, because no one looks good eating. It’s a proven fact, and will make everyone uncomfortable. So, we’ll eat when you eat to prevent any of that awkwardness.
We have an uncle/friend who wants to be a photographer. Is it okay if they tag along with you to ask questions and 2nd shoot the wedding?
I have no problem with family and friends who have their own camera taking pictures of your wedding. The concern I have lies when those guests are overzealous in their photography so that they impede our ability to do our jobs properly. I will ask for your full support in asking those guests to stop or back off their efforts. We try to be polite as possible but sometimes we do need to limit their access to the action, especially during key moments or important events.
Can we give you a “must-take” shot list?
Please try to avoid giving us lists copied from wedding magazines or websites. Every wedding is different, and in order for us to capture the unique moments of your day, we need to be full involved in your wedding instead of checking a list to make sure we captured an image. Please do not hesitate to let me know what types of images are important to you or your families. The more stories you can share with us, the better we’re know what you’re interested in, and the better we’ll be able to photograph your event. For formals, I do provide a questionnaire where you can note which formal combinations you would prefer ~6 weeks before the wedding. Please remember, the wedding coverage Kate Peters Photography provides is about you, not what some magazine says you should want.
Do you post wedding images online?
Yes, all final images from your wedding are posted online for proofing and ordering for you and your guests. They will be posted ~4 weeks from your wedding, and will be color corrected, lightly re-touched, and creatively toned. Images you see online will be provided to you on you DVD (should you choose to purchase one.)
What do you wear for weddings?
My normal wedding wardrobe is a pair of black slacks, ballet flats, and a nice blouse/cardigan deal, depending on weather. My goal is to blend in with your guests, as best I can with two cameras, a flash, and bag of goodies, while not being restricted from getting images due to my clothing choices.